Shoe jack



July 9, 1968 J. C. GOULD, SR

SHOE JACK Filed July 7, 1967 FIGZ -F'IG.I

INVENTOR. JOSEPH CLIFFORD GOULDjSR.

Arman/#7 7 BMW United States Patent 3,391,415 SHOE JACK Joseph Clifford Gould, Sr., Box 89, Wilton, Maine 04294 Filed July 7, 1967, Ser. No. 651,873 8 Claims. (Cl. 12-126) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shoe jack which is readily mountable to a work bench wherein the shoe last is mounted on a rotatable shoe last arm which inclines the toe portion of the shoe last so that pivoting the shoe last arm the shoe last swings in a downward arc and is tensioned between the last arm and the toe plate of the work pad of the shoe jack. The shoe last arm is a substantially right angle inverted J-shape in profile and the shoe portion of the last is inclined downward by mounting the last on the open end of the J, inclination effected by the angulation of one of the sides of the I with respect to the work pad. An improved pivotal means for horizontal rotation of the work pad by the provision of a vertical pin rotatably mounted Within an adjustable bushing preferably in a bifurcated mounting block is additionally provided.

The present invention relates to a shoe jack.

In hand sewing of Vamps and tips of shoes it is desirable for a worker to rigidly position the last and at the same time have the last universally rotatable. Various devices have been developed for this purpose however such devices are generally relatively expensive to manufacture and complicated in assembly and use.

In my U.S. Patent No. 2,757,395 there was disclosed a shoe jack and last supporting structure which overcame the foregoing problem and provided a shoe supporting jack which is capable of use either in a standing or sitting position and eliminated projections which would catch the threads as the sewer draws them through the work.

While the aforementioned device was highly satisfactory and a major advance over that which was theretofore employed, in order to provide for the maintenance of the last in set position on the jack a spring action was requisite and the necessary use of a spring provided for greater likelihood of wear, replacement and adjustment, and the lowering and positioning of the last on the work pad was a somewhat delicate operation.

According to the present invention a shoe jack is provided which is readily mountable to a work bench and affords a sewer either in standing or sitting position by the bench universal maneuverability during sewing, the last mounted on a rotatable last arm which inclines the toe portion of the last so that in pivoting the last arm the last swings in a downward arc and is tensioned between the last arm and the toe plate on the work pad of the jack. The last arm is a substantially right angle inverted J- shape in profile and the toe portion of the last is inclined downward by mounting the last on the open end of the J, inclination effected by the angulation of one of the sides of the I with respect to the work pad.

The jack itself is provided with improved pivotal means for horizontal rotation of the work pad by the provision of a vertical pin rotationally mounted within an adjustable bushing. By provision of the adjustment on the bushing freer positioning that heretofore available is provided.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe jack of the present invention.

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. FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a shoe jack of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevation of the work pad of FIG. 1 with the work pad rotated degrees from the position shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an alternate embodiment of the last arm of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the last arm of the present invention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, Where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

The shoe jack 1 generally comprises a vertical post 2 adapted to be mounted to a work bench 3, preferably the post 2 pivotally mounted by brackets 4 to a side of the work bench 3, with the lower portion of the post 2 as mounted at right angles to the side of the bench 3. The pivotal affixation may be by ordinary means such as by a rivet or through bolt 5 which passes through the bracket 4 and an opening (not shown) provided in the post 2. The bottom of the post 2 is preferably curved so that the post 2 may be pivoted away from and towards the side of the bench 3.

The post 2 is preferably provided with a flexural right angle twist 6 at a point along its length so that the upper section of the post is in a parallel plane with the side of the bench 3.

A face plate 7 is securely mounted in parallel spaced apart relationship to the upper section of the post such as by the use of a rivet 8 affixing the lower section of the face plate 7 to a portion of the post 2 above the flexural twist 6. A rigid wire 33 may be provided between the face plate 7 and the post 2 to deter the catching of threads between the face plate 7 and the post 2 during sewing.

A right angle bracket 9 is pivotally mounted in the channel between the face plate 7 and the upper section of the post 2, the vertical portion 10 of the right angle bracket 9 within such channel and pivotally mounted such as by provision of a rivet or through bolt 12 through the post 2, vertical portion 10, and face plate 7. The horizontal portion 11 of the right angle bracket 9 preferably extends outward of the bench 3 above and over the face plate 7. The distance between the top of the face plate 7 and the horizontal portion 11 is such that the right angle bracket 9 may be pivoted about the through bolt 12.

The work pad 13 is pivotally mounted to the horizontal portion 11 of the right angle bracket 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the desirable 360 degree rotation of the work pad 13 may be provided by the provision of a block 14 mounted beneath the horizontal portion 11, the block 14 having a vertical opening therein to accept a bushing 15, the bushing 15 being preferably graphite impregnated.

A side of the block 14 is preferably bifurcated. A bolt 16 passes through the arms 17 of the bifurcation so as to impringe the bushing 15 within the opening in the block 14. A pin 18 which passes through mated openings 19, 20 provided at a point near one end of the work pad 13 and the horizontal portion 11 of the right angle bracket 9 seats within the bushing 15. By adjustment of the bolt 16 the pin 18 is set. The bushing 15 may include a vertical slit 39 so as to be amenable to expansion or contraction within the block 14 upon adjustment of the arms 17 of the block 14.

The work pad 13 as mounted extends at a right angle to the post 2 providing an elongated platform. A toe plate 21 is preferably mounted near the pivotal end of the work pad 13 and provides a raised surface for the toe portion of the last 22 as hereinafter more fully described. The toe plate 21 may be integral to the work pad 13 or secured thereon by ordinary means such as screws 23. The upper portion of the pivotal pin 18 of the work pad mounting may also serve, such as shown in FIG. 1 as a, mounting surface for the toe portion of the last 22 as hereinafter more fully described. The toe plate 21 may be integral to the work pad 13 or secured thereon by ordinary means such as screws 23. The upper portion of the pivotal pin 18 of the work pad mounting may also serve, such as shown in FIG. 1 as a mounting surface for the toe plate 21.

The toe plate 21 is preferably provided with a pad 24 on its upper surface so as to provide a greater frictional grip as between the toe portion of the last 22 and the toe plate 21.

The last arm may be an integral inverted J-shaped member 32 such as shown in FIG. 4 rotatably mounted on the work pad 13 with the longer leg of the J rotatably afiixed in vertical position to the work pad 13 such as by a rivet 31, or as shown in FIGS. 1-3 a vertical last arm mount 25 may be provided extending upward from the work pad 13 at a point spaced apart from and preferably near the end of the work pad 13 opposite the toe plate 24. The upper portion of the last arm mount 25 as shown has a threaded opening 26 therein, the opening 26 extending vertically downward from the top of the last arm mount 25.

The last arm 27 as shown in FIGS. 13 is a U-shaped member having one arm 28 of the U with threads 29 adapted to mate with the threaded opening 26. Both the last arm 27 and last arm mount 25 configuration of FIGS. 1-3 and the last arm 32 such as shown in FIG. 4 have a profile of a generally right angled J, and as most clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the open end arm of the J depends in a non-parallel plane to the longer leg of the I, such open end arm 30 angling slightly upward and away from the work pad 13.

The last 22 is such as is readily employed in the art and has the peripheral shape of shoe, the last 22 having a substantially vertical bore 34 which accepts the open end arm 30 of the last arm 27. Due to the angulation of the open end arm 30 as aforedescribed the toe portion of the last 22 will be inclined downward when the open end arm 30 is positioned within the bore 34.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the last arm, 27, 32 is rotated the last 22 swnigs in a downward arc with the toe portion of the last 22 tensioned on the toe plate 21, the last maintained in tensioned position between the last arm 27, 32 and the toe plate 21.

Where the last arm 27 is screw mounted such as shown in FIGS. 1-3 it is preferable that the angulation of the open end arm 30 be in a clockwise direction. In this manner the rotation of the last arm 27 within the last arm mount 25 in a counterclockwise direction swings the last 22 downward not only due to the angulation of the open end arm 30, but additionally, the last arm 27 itself is lowered, the arm 28 of the last arm 27 being screwed inward of the last arm mount 25 during rotation.

As shown in FIG. 5 the last arm 35 may be a right angled both in profile and face with both arms 35, 37 in parallel relationship. The last arm mount 38 is mounted on the work pad 13 and inclined at a slight acute angle (the angle exaggerated as illustrated for clarity) towards the toe plate 21, the last mounted on the arm 37 and positioned as heretofore described.

Once the last 22 is positioned on the shoe jack 1, hand sewing of Vamps may proceed and the last readily positioned by the sewer. The various work positions afforded by the shoe jack 1 makes it possible for a sewer to gain ready access to that part of the shoe which he is Working on.

Where the screw threaded last arm mounts 25, 38 are employed the height adjustability afforded in positioning the last arms 27, 35 therein allows for greater adjustability for varying shoe sizes.

The elimination of any spring means further serves to cut down the number of openings or projections on the shoe jack 1 which might interfere with the thread during sewing.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description; it is recognized, though that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

1. A shoe jack comprising a post whose lower end is supportable from a bench, first means carried by the upper end of said post for rotative movement about an axis, second means supported by said first means, pivotal means interconnecting said first and second means for rotative movement of said second means about an axis at right angles to said first axis and shoe last mounting means, said shoe last mounting means including a substantially right angle inverted J-shaped in profile member, the longer arm of said J rotatably afiixed to said second means, the shorter arm of said 1' adapted to connect with said shoe last, at least one of said arms of said J angulated with respect to said second means so as to incline said shoe last towards said second means, whereby rotation of said shoe last mounting means with said shoe last thereon swings said shoe last in a downward arc to tension said shoe last between said J and said second means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shorter arm of said Lshaped member is said angulated arm, said shorter arm depending in non-parallel plane to said longer arm and is angulated slightly upwardly and away from said second means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said J-shaped member includes; a vertical portion having a threaded opening on the top thereof, said vertical portion fixedly mounted on said second means; and a U-shaped portion, one of the arms of said U threaded to mate with said threaded opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the other arm of said U-shaped portion depends in non-parallel plane to said threaded arm and is angulated slightly upwardly and away from said second means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said J-shaped member is substantially right angled in face view and the longer arm of said J is afiixed to said second means inclined at an acute angle on said second means towards the upper end of said post.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pivotal means includes; a block having an opening therethrougli mounted beneath a portion of said first means; a bushing within said block; a pin depending from said second means within said bushing; and retaining means on said block adapted to eonstrict said opening to maintain said pin rotatably afiixed within said bushing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said retaining means on said block includes; bifurcation of one of the sides of said block and adjustable means interconnecting the arms of said bifurcation.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bushing further includes a vertical slit along the length thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,954,178 4/1934 Kakides et a1. 12126 1,922,750 8/1933 Salcaian 12l23 3,328,817 7/1967 Levenson 12-124 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

